some sights from the car ride on our trip south a few weeks ago.classic NJ diner. vincentown is where my grandpop grew up. NJ runs deep in my mom’s family. but it’s nothing like what most people think. get to know the real new jersey.
i just really like the lines on this building. very ’50s. gave me a happy feeling. driving through the pine barrens. very distinct childhood memory of realizing that we were almost to the shore when we went through this area. still makes me smile. (please excuse my melodramatic face… i was experimenting with the camera, not working on my blue steel.)

p.s. traveling locally is lots of fun. it’s also cheaper and greener. so love your earth, explore your state (or town)… not that we don’t appreciate how airplanes help us see the world… thanks for that, Wright brothers!

1. on thursday night, we said goodbye to michael scott (and although the episode wasn’t everything it could have been, i loved this scene a lot and it maybe made me cry a little.)
2. friday, we were enamored of william and kate’s wedding, along with nearly a third of the world’s population. the best of the royal wedding in pictures, and some favorites: cute moments between sisters and brothers; an adorable, very normal-looking queen; the now-famous kiss; and the beautiful dress(es), including this awesome angle on kate’s dress. (it takes a moment for photos to load.)
3. on saturday, we celebrated our hometown at communiversity. this annual street festival is a beloved tradition. (see photo above) we roamed the streets with Bo, devoured falafel and samosa chaat from the food stands, talked with friends and neighbors, and thoroughly enjoyed our lemon and coconut sorbet from bent spoon.
4. after that, we crawled into a hole and did lots of grad school work. forever.
5. we only emerged from that hole for a tv break on sunday evening, at which point a news brief flashed across the screen. having lived in manhattan through 9/11, watching this historic moment felt somewhat surreal and our prayer is that it will bring about greater peace, security, and unity for all.

now we crawl back into our hole for most of this (finals) week… there may or may not be posts. ’til friday!

on the drive home from atlantic city, we went to Barnegat Lighthouse. i went here many times with my grandparents when i was younger. walking along the jetty brings a flood of memories, particularly my grandmom’s tuna fish sandwiches.
the grey skies made this place even more special. beautifully understated.

things you won’t usually hear us say:
“hey, we’re going to Atlantic City.” but alas, we did. we went to check it off our list of sites to see in our great state of new jersey. and also because there was a really cool hotel on jetsetter that enticed us to get away for the first night of spring break. the hotel was lovely, and the weather rather perfect. (while exploring the beach, a man walked up and started talking about donald trump. he then proceeded to say that “you photographer types are all the same” to which i replied “thanks so much” as we walked away. i don’t think i should’ve been thanking him so much, but it was hard to say, really. we had many questions.) there were some cool, albeit seemingly abandoned, art deco buildings along the boardwalk, including the old convention center. we hope they are restoring it because it gives a glimpse into what the glory days of atlantic city must have been like. before arriving in atlantic city, we stopped by Margate (the next town over), in order to visit Lucy, the world’s largest elephant. ever. it’s a must-see.
built in 1881, she was a huge attraction at the height of atlantic city’s popularity. the town fought to save her in the mid-20th century, at which point she underwent major restoration.
we climbed to the top of Lucy and learned her history. you can see the ocean through her eyes. i think she’s quite cool. apparently Margate thinks so too since they put her on their water tower. we enjoyed ourselves and our little trip, but there’s something you will never hear us say, and that’s “AC baby.” no, we won’t ever say that.